Latest news- We Welcome Br. Sean to the Day CentreEvery three years the Capuchin Franciscan Order hold a ‘chapter’ at which they elect a Provincial Council to oversee the work of the province. The Provincial Council subsequently allocate personnel to various roles within the Order and following the Chapter in June this year, they decided that in view of the huge increase in the workload of the Capuchin Day Centre, they would delegate another friar to work full-time and share the day to day responsibility for the Centre with Bro. Kevin.

They selected Br. Sean Donohoe to take on this role. The Centre is very pleased to welcome Br. Sean and to wish him God’s many blessings as he takes up his new post and works alongside Bro. Kevin in continuing this vital service for people in need.

While the Capuchin Day Centre has journeyed with people in need since 1969 including the last recession of the 1980’s, nothing has prepared us for the level of demand for the service. Since the collapse of the Banks in 2008 our numbers have more than doubled. Latest figures show we provide 2/300 breakfasts each day with 400 extra on a Wednesday. Our dinner service has increased and is seldom less that 480 with a couple of days in the week exceeding 500. In keeping with our child protection policies, we have a designated family area where parents and their children can enjoy nutritious meals in safety.

The increase in child poverty is very evident here in the Day Centre with more parents needing to avail of the service. We also have a medical service, chiropody clinics, an optical service and advice and information clinics. We prioritise the needs of rough sleepers and the increased energy and water charges for the shower facilities together with the provision of new underwear, personal hygiene products etc. has all added to our expenses.

Despite trying to cope with the above, the greatest challenge both physically and financially is to help the increased number of people who need Food Parcels. Demand has risen with each new phase of unemployment and rose from about 1800 a week in 2014 to around 2000 in 2015 with further spikes in the number of people who need help to feed their families in the current economic environment. We have not received an increase in our government funding since 2007 so we need your help more than ever. There are more people at risk of dying on the side of the road tonight than when I started the Centre in 1969.